Results of Palouse Area Community Health Assessments Show Areas of Need

Aug 28, 2013

Results of a recently conducted online community health assessment and the Essential Care, Everywhere report, conducted jointly by the Washington State Hospital Association and the Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts in 2013, show that Pullman area residents are on average healthier than the overall state average.

The survey conducted by WSHA and AWPHD, show rates of obesity (classified as a BMI of less than 30), to be 19.5 percent lower than the Washington State average of 25.6 percent. The current smoking status in the Pullman service area was reported to be 7.7 percent, which is lower than the state average of 15.7 percent.

Areas with higher averages over state averages include "asthma" with 10.3 percent rate in the Pullman service area compared to a state average of 9.2 percent. Additionally, poor mental health (classified as seven or more poor mental health days per month) was reported at 12.5 percent in the Pullman service area, compared to the state average of 14.6 percent.

The survey conducted by Pullman Regional Hospital earlier this year had 184 respondents from Pullman and surrounding Palouse area towns. Respondents ranged in age from 21 to 83 years old.